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And then there were 3

I know I’ve been leaving a lot of posts lately about my work and not much else. But I’m going through a phase at the moment, I’ve been on a bit of a roll, I had a few pieces of work in mind, and today I completed the 3rd and final piece.  So now its back to “Sh*t! What am I going to do next”??!, while trawling the Internet kidding myself that it counts as “work” in the mean time…

2 down 1 to go

I finished number 2 of the series tonight, and as usual I’m so-so about it. What they say about being your own harshest critic really is true! OK OK, i guess I’m relatively happy with it!  To find out what the hells going on with this, all is explained in previous posts so go on, have a good old scroll down!!

Alice in wonderland

I’ve had this photo hanging around on my desk top for ages now, not really knowing why or what to do with it. So perhaps posting it here will give it some purpose? The more I look at it the more I’m discovering what I like about it…perhaps its just Alice Dellal? Aesthetically, the way the colour is concentrated in the centre and pops out from the black back drop appeals. Conceptually, It shares some similarities to the ideas I’m currently exploring through my art, and likewise also sparking some ideas, with particular reference to our relationship with objects. The object here has become something else; through human intervention, imagination, emotion…changing the subject, I much prefer Alice blonde and not her current brunette, don’t you?!

Done and delighted

So here’s the finished piece. I really enjoyed working on this, and can’t wait for when I start the masters and will have time to paint all day every day if I so wish! If you’re wondering what it’s all about, take a look at the work in progress post previous to this, which will explain all. Now i’m just to title it…any ideas?! Sometimes I think giving a painting a title is harder than the actual painting itself…

2 hours later…

As promised here are some work in progress shots. I spent about two hours on this tonight and I was really enjoying myself! Perhaps because I was listening to the new Kings Of Leon album on my I Pod at the time…which is great by the way, go and purchase!!! To give you a bit of information to work with when looking below…speaking broadly my main area of interest in symbolism. Currently I’m exploring the meaning of everyday objects, and the current series of paintings I’m working on explore our need to place sentimental value on to objects. Here I have photographed myself wearing the necklace my Nan gifted me (you can see the original photo and more in the previous blog). As she has now passed away the background is black which in western cultures often symbolises death. I am currently in the process of painting my Nan’s face over mine, which portrays the memory of her that I have attached to the object. There will be a lot more drips and smudges when its finished, which will strengthen the contrast between the paint and the photographic image, and so emphasise the relationship between the hard reality of the object and the softness of the memory associated with it.

 

The day I had a studio

What a lovely day! The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and I spent a very successful day in my studio…yes…my studio! Well, ok, it was a bit make shift…imagine sheets pinned up around the room, a lamp as a spotlight etc and you have the idea. But photographic equipment was provided to a very professional standard courtesy of the boyfriend, who happens to be a bit of a photographer…handy! Anyway, it all done the trick. This next set of paintings (well paintings on photographs to be more precise) will explore our need to sentimentalise objects. Step one-the photo’s-are now complete and on their way through cyber space to the printers as we speak. Can’t wait to see how they turn out, and get painting on to them. I should receive the prints by Tuesday, and will start painting on Wednesday, so will post some works in progress pics soon.  For now, here are the results of today’s efforts, the final photo’s I will be painting on to…err minus the last one of course! Thats me and the boyfriend not taking things quite as seriously as maybe we should have been! And him getting distracted by his new i phone, when he should have had the SLR in his hand…

This is Mi Muse

The only way is up

Apologies for being crap and not posting much lately, the last couple of weeks have been rather strange for one reason or another, I’ve also been in deep thought about my art, and by the time I get back from work completely shattered, my art is about the only thing I’ve felt able to take time to think about recently. But here I am, still feeling quite tired, but I have something to share…my first painting (well not first exactly…but my first since deciding to build a new portfolio in preparation for undertaking a Masters in Fine Art). As I’ve mentioned before in previous posts, so I will keep it brief, my main area of interest is symbolism, and within this broad subject I am currently exploring our relationship with everyday objects. This piece of work was inspired by a period in my life in which I was out of work, had no money, and as a result, as I became more and more withdrawn, my life seemed to revolve more and more around my bed. I came to the conclusion the bed represents the Womb; a place we feel secure, warm, nurtured, and emerging the next morning re-born. The composition emphasizes this representation, being low on the canvas, and the shape of the canvas representing the body.  The piece is quite Graphic, not really surprising as my background is in Graphic Design. However there is something about it that doesn’t sit easy with me. My art tutor friend says this is good as it shows I am challenging myself. But I don’t know, it just doesn’t feel very ‘me’, do you know what I mean??? Any way I resisted the urge to over work it, and am relatively pleased (I am never completely pleased with anything I produce, I really am my harshest critic). But you know, I keep reminding myself, this is just the start, and we all have to start somewhere. With this in mind I am ready to move on, accepting that although I may only be-hmmmm-75% pleased with this one, I realise that it has served a very good purpose in getting me on the path I want to be on. The only way is up (as Yazz once said).

Miles ahead

While visiting the Tate Modern on Sunday, I brought a book in the gallery shop “…isms; understanding art” by Stephen Little. It gives short and concise descriptions of major ‘isms’ throughout the history of art, in chronological order, and is proving to be very enlightening. Already I am finding myself looking at art with a different eye, and my own art and ideologies, as the more I read the more I develop my understanding about where I, and other artists fit in with past and present art movements. I came across the work of photographer Miles Aldridge while randomly searching on the net today-I do this a lot-I think its called procrastinating when I should be, er, working, and a couple of his photos struck me as having an empathyto the art of the International Gothicism period, which was concerned with the idealised and devine. International Gothicism developed alongside the Rennaisance period, which these images also strike a chord with aestheticaly. This is all getting very intellectual! Other works by Miles are brightly coloured and fashion led, but just as visually stimulating, check it out!